Pre-heat an oven to 180 degress/gas four. Peel the spuds and chop them into quarters. Cook in boiling salted water until part-cooked, but still holding their shape. Drain and put them back in the saucepan to dry out, with a tea towel on top.
In a large frying pan, melt the goose fat along with the cloves of unpeeled garlic and salt. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon when it starts to colour and place it on a baking tray. Fry the potatoes in batches until they are golden brown and crisp on all sides.
Transfer the potatoes to the baking tray and spoon over a bit of the goose fat, then sprinkle with thyme. Bake in a hot oven for another 10-15 minutes with the garlic and thyme. When ready to serve, sprinkle with a bit more sea salt.
You can prep these ahead of time, by frying them and setting them aside overnight. Just give them a final blast in the oven to heat through and crisp up before serving.